Date: 5 June 2014
Saint-Gobain, the world’s largest building materials company, is transforming an existing space into a LEED-certified facility for Saint-Gobain and its North American construction materials subsidiary, CertainTeed Corporation.The $80 million redevelopment project, expected to be completed in the fall of 2015, will take full advantage of Saint-Gobain’s extensive portfolio of green building materials and technologies, including SageGlass, to create an energizing, sustainable work environment that will attract and retain top talent for years to come.
“Saint-Gobain products are found in workplaces all over the world and we are excited to demonstrate how our products create a better workplace experience for our more than 800 employees that will work in the new headquarters,” said John Crowe, president and CEO of Saint-Gobain and CertainTeed Corporations. “SageGlass will not only help us to transform the existing structure into an iconic workplace with a dramatic design, but will allow our employees to take in all the benefits from daylight without experiencing the drawbacks.”
SageGlass dynamic glass will replace the energy inefficient curtain wall of the current structure to create both a visually stunning and energy efficient multi-story curtain wall on the building’s western and southern facades, where sunlight is most intensive. SageGlass is electronically tintable glass that maximizes daylight and outdoor views in buildings while controlling glare and heat gain.
“Our mission is to help building occupants enjoy the benefits of natural daylight and maintain a view and connection to the outdoors,” said Alan McLenaghan, CEO of SAGE. “We are looking forward to working with the entire Saint-Gobain family to make the new North American headquarters aesthetically pleasing, comfortable to work in and a model of energy efficiency.”
While reducing energy consumption and sun glare were key objectives in the re-design, preserving an outdoor connection to the scenic 65-acre campus – which includes woods, fields, a pond and a stream – for the benefit of people inside was another reason for using SageGlass, according to architect Neil Liebman, principal of Bernardon Haber Holloway, who designed the exterior.
“The ability to have natural outdoor spaces that are complementary to the interior was important to the design. SageGlass blocks the more harmful aspects of the sun without spoiling the connection to the outdoor natural environment,” said Liebman. “This is my first time working with SageGlass, and I think it’s an amazing glazing technology. I’m excited about the opportunity to integrate it into the design, and can’t wait to see it in full operation.”
LEED certification is being sought for the 320,000 square foot redevelopment project. The goal is to create a next-generation workplace that maximizes comfort and air quality through the use of a wide range of building material innovations from Saint-Gobain’s product portfolio. In addition to SageGlass, the headquarters will include materials from CertainTeed Corporation, Saint-Gobain ADFORS, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics and others from Saint-Gobain’s family of companies. Incorporating these products will create a “living laboratory” where the company’s research team can measure the impact its products will have on a real workspace environment.
About SageGlass
SageGlass®, a product of Saint-Gobain, is advanced dynamic glass that can be electronically tinted or cleared to optimize daylight and improve the human experience in buildings. SageGlass manages the sunlight and heat that enter a building, significantly reducing energy consumption while improving people’s comfort and well-being. It can reduce a building’s cooling load by 20% and HVAC requirements up to 30%. It is a smarter, more elegant solution than conventional sun controls such as mechanical window shades, blinds and louvers. With SageGlass you can control sunlight and glare without shades or blinds while maintaining the view and connection to the outdoors. SageGlass is manufactured in Faribault, MN, in the heart of “the Silicon Valley of the window industry,” and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saint-Gobain of Paris, the world’s largest building materials company.
For more information visit:
Website: www.sageglass.com
Twitter: twitter.com/Sage_Glass
Facebook: Facebook.com/SageGlass
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/sage-electrochromics-inc.
YouTube: Youtube.com/SAGEElectrochromics
About Saint-Gobain
Saint-Gobain, the world’s largest building materials company, has its North American headquarters in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. As the world leader in sustainable habitat, Saint-Gobain is committed to inventing solutions to help professionals and communities around the world build and renovate comfortable, healthy, economical and energy-efficient buildings. The company has more than 265 locations in North America and approximately 15,000 employees. In the United States and Canada, Saint-Gobain reported sales of approximately $7.9 billion in 2013.
Recognized as a 2009 and 2010 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Saint-Gobain earned the 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award, the highest level of recognition for outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through energy efficiency. For more information about Saint-Gobain in North America, visit www.saint-gobain-northamerica.com and connect with the company on Facebook and Twitter.
About Saint-Gobain
Located in 64 countries and headquartered in Paris with nearly 195,000 employees, Saint-Gobain, the world leader in the habitat and construction markets, designs, manufactures and distributes building materials, providing innovative solutions to meet growing demand for energy efficiency and for environmental protection. For more information about Saint-Gobain, please visit www.saint-gobain.com.
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